A former accounts clerk from Chertsey who pilfered almost £130,000 from her employer will have to pay back just £100.

Kathryn Crockford, 48, appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Monday (June 24) for a confiscation order hearing.

The court was told the total owed by Crockford, who was convicted last year after admitting fraud, had come to £135,236.71 after all costs were accounted for and following a re-evaluation of her home in Bridge Road.

However, Judge Neil Stewart was informed that Crockford did not have the assets to make a "tangible repayment".

He said: “The Crown considers that there is no realisable asset at the moment, so a nominal order for £100 is made but this has to be paid.

“Obviously, should the defendant’s situation change, the question of the realisable amount could be re-assessed.”

Crockford appeared at the court last year where she admitted having stolen £129,892.63 from Halliford Studios, Shepperton, between January 2008 and May 2011.

Initially told she might face prison, Crockford was instead given a community order for 240 hours of unpaid work when she was sentenced at the court in September.

'Pathetic'

The case has left Rigby Andrews, owner of Halliford Studios, out of pocket and disillusioned with the justice system.

The businessman slammed the court outcome as pathetic and said he would give the £100 to charity. He added: “It would be nice to have an explanation as to where the money went. I didn’t expect any of it back.

“It is an awful lot of money.

“We can only speculate where it has all gone.”

Mr Andrews said that on top of the initial loss, the legal fees had cost the small family-run company thousands of pounds.

He said: “Although working as an accountant, she had an insurance policy. It would be throwing good money at bad money to get it back.

“It cost us thousands of pounds in legal fees. She got legal aid.”

The studios now have a new accountant and Mr Andrews has had to postpone his retirement to try to recuperate some of the loss – which totalled around 20% of the studio’s annual turnover.

He said: “I had my 65th birthday in April and I will have to stay working until I’m at least 70. That’s with some luck. We will see what happens.

“We have been taking on as many jobs as we can. We have to play catch-up.”

He added: “I have no trust in general life today – in general and as a result of this.

“My trust in people has been wiped out. I just hope she enjoys the rest of her days.”